Ductile-wire trough for billiard tables



I 1,626,242 p 26' 1927- 2 F. LANZA DUCTILE WIRE TROUGH FOR BILLIARD TABLES Filed Aug. 25. 1925 Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UITE

FRANK LANZA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.-

DUGTILE-WIRE TROUGH FOR BILLIARD TABLES.

Application filed August 25, 1926. Serial N0.*131,389

it silent in operation and to afford a softrunning surface for the balls.

This invention is designed to overcome the defects heretofore experienced in the return troughs for billiard tables. As these troughs have heretofore been constructed clifficulty has been experienced in exactly fitting them or adapting them to the particular table to which they are to be applied. It frequently happens that they do not accurately fit, and considerable work is entailed in positioning and adjusting them to the table.

Further objects are to provide a novel form of return trough forbilliard tables which is so constructed that chalk or other foreign matter can not lodge in the trough but, instead, in which the trough is made of open work construction with parallel longitudinal members held at suitable points by ring-like spacers so that any foreign material, inadvertently passing to the trough will fall therefrom, and will not obstruct the free passage of the balls.

Further objects are to so form the ringlike spacers that the balls cannot contact with the spacers and to so form the spacers that the longitudinal members may be readily attached thereto. I

Further objects are to provide a novel form of return trough for billiard tables which may be very cheaply manufactured from simple and inexpensive stock, and

which may be most easily applied to the tables.

Throughout this description, it is intended that the term billiard shall be given such an interpretation as to cover billiard tables, pool tables, and others of this general type. It is used, therefore, merely to avoid needless repetition.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of a billiard table with the top removed;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View through the trough, such view corresponding roughly to a section on the line of F igure-3;

Figure 3 is a' sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a b-illard table 1 has been indicated with short runways 2 extending from adjacent the various pockets. These runways communicate with the return troughs, all of which lead to a common point, such as indicated at 3 in Figure 1, at which point it is lib the usual practice to provide a box or other receptacle.

These return troughs are all of similar construction, although as is obvious, they may be of different lengths, and may be bent into any desired contour.

Each of the troughs is formed of a plurality of parallel wires 41 of ductile materialf These wires are covered from end to end with a yielding, sound-proof casing 5. For example, this casing may be formed of rubber, if desired, and is illustrated primarily in Figures 2 and 3. Obviously, it

may be formed of other suitable material.

At spaced points along the'length of the troughs the wires are held in their parallel.

arrangement by means of ring-like spacers 6. These spacers have inwardly projectlng portions 7 which are recessed to receive the wires as indicated most clearly in Figure 3. The wires are secured within these recesses in any suitable manner. The position of the members 7 is such that the wires are projected inwardly of the spacers so that the balls as indicated in dotted lines at 8 in Figure 3 may ride .clear of the spacers at all times.

Further, it is to be noted'that the balls do not rattle or produce any sound when traveling along the trough due to the padding or casing on the wires.

It is to be particularly noted that the spacers 6 may be positioned not only-intermediate the ends of the troughs, but also provided and the parts thereof are held in spaced relation Without any interference whatsoever to the "balls.

It is to be noted particularly that the troughs may be freelybent or flexed, and thus shaped to the exact requirements so that they may be applied to thetables-With the utmost-"ease, irrespective of variations in the size or shape of'the .tab'les.

Although the invention has been describcdin considerable detail, such descrip-- tion is intended as illustrative rather=than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of suchinvention is to be determined as claimed.

.I claim A flexible trough adapted to be bent to the desired shape to for billiard tables plurality of ring-like spacing members surroundingsal'dwrres and having inwardly projecting regularly spaced ears provided 'With recesses in'which the Wires are re- :ceived. whereby said wlres are held against shifting in said ring-like spacing members and are also held -;projected radially inwardly of said ring-like spacing members.

In testimony that I claim the'foregoing I hove hereunto set my hand at Philadelphi-a, irrthe county ofjPhil-adelphia and State of Pennsylvania.

FRANK IukN-Zi l. 

